


Happy's Guide to Dating Lucy

by JustAGirlCalledMe



Series: In Any Lifetime [3]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Canon Universe, Cute, F/M, Fluff, POV First Person, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, slightly OOC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-02-28 08:51:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18753049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAGirlCalledMe/pseuds/JustAGirlCalledMe
Summary: Lucy dreams of the perfect romance. Thats common knowledge. Now that Natsu has got over the shock of having asked his partner out on a date, he's determined to make her dreams come true. Although he's not quite sure how to do that. Maybe Happy has some ideas?





	Happy's Guide to Dating Lucy

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this back in 2015, and kind of edited it this year XD Enjoy it anyway!

**Mission: Date Lucy**

_‘Hey, Happy. I think I need some help.’_

_Blinking, the exceed questioned curiously, ‘With what, Natsu?’_

_‘I know I asked Lucy out on this date an’ all, but … what the heck are you supposed to do on a date?’ I scratched the back of my neck, feeling undressed and, in a word, undignified (that was a big word; Lucy would be proud of me). ‘Got any tips?’_

_Happy’s eyes lit up like a string of coloured lights on Christmas day. He put down his half eaten mackerel and stood very slowly, puffing out his chest as he smirked as wide and eerie as a cheshire cat. I got the feeling I’d asked the wrong person._

_‘Finally!’_

**Step One: Dress Nice**

_‘You sure about this, Happy?’ I asked anxiously._

_Happy nodded, ‘Girls_ love _it when boys dress up in suits and ties and fancy stuff like that. Trust me!’_

_I frowned, ‘How do you know?’_

_‘I spend heaps of time at the girls dorms! It’s ‘cause I’m a cat.’_

There’s a fire kind of hot, and then there’s an awkward kind of hot. Wearing a tuxedo, I had just discovered, was the second kind. I don’t know where Happy had managed to find a tight fitting, black suit just my size, but the thing is unnatural. I hate it.

Walking down the streets of Magnolia, I'm recognized way too easily. Cherry blossom hair like mine, I suppose, isn’t very common and easy to spot, which makes for an easy game of “Spot the Natsu”. Fingers point at me from across the way, and more than once I spot a wayward guild member who catches my eye, smirks, and immediately heads for the guild at an annoyingly quick footed pace, no doubt to tell the she devil that set me up with Lucy in the first place.

Dammit, Mirajane.

The suit Happy has dressed me up in is made of silken material; expensive stuff, I know that much. The sleeves are folded back and held with black buttons so shiny they could blind someone with reflected light, and the blue cat dug out a pair of dress shoes I didn’t know I owned until an hour ago. While they fit snuggly, I can’t say I’m comfortable. I’m a sandals kind of guy for a reason; a man’s toes have gotta breathe.

We fought over whether I could wear the scarf or not, but I won out of sheer stubbornness, and it’s currently safely secured around my neck where it belongs. It hides the red tie, the exact shade of my sleeve-covered guild mark.

If this is how guys dressed for dates, no wonder I'd never been on one. It sucks.

**Step Two: Buy Her Flowers**

_‘Flowers?’_

_‘Yes,’ Happy sighed, almost frustrated. How was_ he _the one frustrated?! ‘Girls love flowers! Lushee usually has flowers in her house somewhere.’_

_I gnawed on my lip, so far out of my element, ‘So, what type does Lucy like best?’_

_Humming thoughtfully, Happy tapped his padded foot with an earnest expression, ‘I’m not sure. Buy roses. Roses are safe.’_

_‘But they have thorns …’_

_‘Not what I meant by safe, Natsu.’_

The nearest florist is on the way to Lucy’s apartment; a few blocks down from it, in fact. The young shop attendant had been more than eager (perhaps a little _too_ eager) to lend some advice on giving a girl flowers.

‘Red roses are always a “love” kind of rose,’ she had gushed happily, probably grateful for at least once customer that day, judging by the emptiness of the store. ‘Red, the colour of love, you know?’ She had giggled, sighed, then turned alarmingly serious, pointing sternly at me, ‘You have to treat them gently, yes? And I’m not just talking about the flowers. Girls need a man who will be there when they fall. You must be her hero.’

 _Hero, huh?_ I think. _I can be Luce’s hero. Right?_ I waver. _Does Lucy even need a hero?_

I didn’t think she did.

Holding the flowers out in front of me, I treat them gently just like the lady said. They are all blooming brightly; seven beautiful red roses and a three pink ones, exactly as I had requested. Ten, all up, for every year I’d known her, including those of the seven year sleep we endured on Tenrou Island.

I heave a heavy sigh as Lucy’s apartment complex comes into sight. Just what sort of mess have I got myself into this time?

**Step Three: Act Like a Gentleman**

_‘Hmm,’ Happy studied me with a frown. ‘This one might be the most difficult for you, Natsu.’_

_I could_ feel _the anger striking in my fists as they lit up brilliantly with orange ribbons of heat, ‘Oi! What’s that supposed to mean?’_

_Happy sighed, ‘See? You can’t do that in front of a girl. No fire, Natsu. No eating fire, no lighting things on fire, and no flames.’_

_‘Flames are fire.’_

_‘And you have to be polite,’ Happy continued as if I hadn’t spoken. Figures. ‘Go through the door this time. Speak nicely.'_

_‘Tch.’_

I knock. I actually knock on Lucy’s door. Hell must have frozen over; cats and dogs are surely falling from the sky.

She shouts out from the other side, ‘Who is it?’

I scowl; is she expecting someone else? ‘Natsu.’

The door flies open in a breeze so hard it blows back my hair. So much for Happy’s efforts of “styling” it with a tube of gel he’d procured from Mirajane (even though it falls back into place anyway, so there’s no point). Light floods into the complex hall, illuminating the blue carpet runner and cream walls.

Lucy stands there. Her hair is down, but a bunch to the left is kept up in her old hairstyle tied with a soft pink bow. It matches the simple, thin strap dress she wears. The figure complimenting dress reaches above her knees and is pulled in around her stomach with a white belt that goes with her pearly sandals. The outfit is nothing like the short skirts and tight tops she used to wear out on dates with guys that I’d seen before. What did that mean?

‘Natsu! You actually came through the door! I-’ she stops, blinking several times, catching sight of my attire. I have never been more self conscious than now. ‘Wow, where did you get that?’

‘I, have no idea,’ I admit. I lift up the bouquet of roses for her to take, ‘Uh, I got these.’

Lucy cheeks turn a strangely familiar shade of pink, but not like her dress; much darker in colour. She takes them gingerly and smiles, smelling them with a composed expression.

‘Thanks, Natsu,' she says. ‘I’ll put them in vase, and then we can go, yeah?’

I nod, smiling to cover up the way I swallow down nerves, ‘Uh, yeah, sure.’

What is wrong with me today?

**Step Four: Go Someplace Fancy**

_‘But fancy places are expensive!’ I whined, annoyed. This whole dating thing was becoming a lot bigger than I’d first anticipated._

_'Girls like expensive things,' Happy replied bluntly._

_I groaned, 'Girls like too much. Can't we just, I dunno, go to the park, or something?'_

_The exceed scowled, 'No, Natsu. Go to somewhere really nice. Oh, I know! Take Lushee to the restaurant by the river. You remember she used to stop to look in the windows, right?'_

_'But,' I closed my eyes. 'That place is_ too _fancy. I'll break somethin'.'_

_'Don't break something!'_

I open the door for Lucy like a proper gentleman. She frowns at me, but she's smiling warily as she says thank you. I'm only following the ways of the "genius".

A waiter is with us in two seconds flat, briskly escorting us to a riverside table for two where she seats us with an over enthusiastic greeting before handing us our menus and rattling off the specials of the day. A braised squid delicacy is apparently the chef’s recommendation. The waiter informs us with an cheerful ‘Order at any time!’ before vanishing into the kitchen. Now it’s just the two of us. We sit together in silence.

I watch Lucy. Her face is very pink behind the menu she uses to cover her face. Brown eyes like polished amber flicker back and forth, but I know she's not reading; I know her far too well to believe that.

'What, uh,' I moisten my dry lips awkwardly. 'What do you want?'

'I'm, not sure,' she replies slowly, setting down the menu with a small smile. 'I've never even heard of half these dishes before. There’s so much to choose from!’

I nod a little too ubruptly, 'Okay, yeah.'

Lucy tips her head sideways with a cheeky glimmer airing across her face, 'What are you getting then, greedy guts? The whole menu?'

'N-no!' I exclaim, loud enough to protest, but quiet enough not to disturb the other guests; that would be _impolite_.

Lucy laughs, and I relax. This feels better; laughter. When she smiles genuinely, I feel a little more at ease, and this stupid date thing floats away, and we're two friends in a restaurant that goes way over our heads.

Then we remember why we are there, and fall back into the reoccurring current of awkwardness, swelling up from the deep to take us down.

**Step Five: Walk Her Home**

_'Happy, we always walk Lucy home. What’s the difference this time?’_

_Happy shakes head maddeningly, 'No, Natsu. You have to walk Lushee home like on a date. Put your arm over her shoulders, hold her hand; something! Protect her, but not from bad guys.'_

_Now he was just being plain ridiculous._

_'Why protect her if she doesn't need protecting?' I asked in exasperation. 'Besides, she can take care of herself.'_

_'Protect her from other stuff, Natsu,' Happy said. 'Like the cold, or being tired.'_

_'That doesn't make any sense!'_

_'It will later.'_

Happy was wrong. I still don't understand how I'm supposed to protect her from nonliving, non life threatening things. Telltale jingling from the keyring attached to her ivory belt reminds me that I definitely don’t need to.

Lucy balances on the side of the river, no boat men to shout warnings to her because of the lateness of the hour. She wobbles, but never falls, exclaiming a lively little ‘whoa!’ each time. Happy’s voice reminds me that I have to “protect” her. So I watch, making sure she doesn’t fall in the river.

'Careful,' I say.

Lucy raises an eyebrow, 'Says he the reckless.' She chuckles, 'You’re so strange tonight. And you call me weird.'

'You _are_ weird,' I snap back, a smile tugging up the left side of my mouth, before it drops.

 _Uh oh_ , I think. _I insulted her! Can't do that on a date_.

Lucy doesn't take it that way, barking back with a playful, 'Hey!'

We pass by an abandoned park, no children to play on the swing set or slide, where the trees rustle with a sudden breeze and sand blows across the path. Lucy shivers and curls her toes.

'Oh!' she gasps. 'Remind me to bring a jacket to the guild tomor-'

'Here!' I cut her off, quickly winding my scarf around her neck.

I hurt to part from it, but not as much as I thought. Was it my lack of attachment to the scarf, or just because it was Lucy who was wearing it? I couldn’t be sure. Seeing her adorned in Igneel's gift, though, I feel the hurt melt quickly and give way to warmth in my own chest. Lucy is stunned, but then she takes my hand and the surprises fades.

'Thank you, Natsu,' she smiles.

My face heats up and now I don’t have a scarf to hide in, 'A-anytime ...'

**Result: The Perfect Date**

_'You're 100% sure Lucy's gonna like it all?' I asked Happy, who nodded impatiently._

_'_ Yes _,' he stressed. 'Follow the steps, and it'll be fine.'_

_I knead my temples to relieve an oncoming headache, 'I don't feel like it’s right. This is stupid.'_

_Happy opened his mouth to argue but stopped short when he caught sight of the sun's position, speaking in alarm. Bursting into flight, he pushed on my shoulder, moving me towards the door._

_'You gonna be late! Hurry up!'_

_'Aw, shit.'_

Lucy stops me outside her house. Around my hand, her fingers cooly contrast against my skin, warm as always with fire dragon magic beating through my veins like a second pulse. She drops my hand to unwind the scarf with both of hers and passes it back gently; carefully, like it's made of glass.

'Thanks for the night. It was,' she hesitates, lip twitching, 'nice.'

'It was weird,' I correct. 'Sorry, Lucy. I got advice from Happy.'

She laughs, and again I smile. How can I not, when she emits such an easy sound like that? That cheerful look on her face is as infectious as a disease that I am eager to catch. Just like her, Lucy’s laugh is bright and radiant.

'I thought that might be it,' she admits. 'Aw, Natsu, why'd you listen to that damn cat?'

'He said he knew what he was talking about,' I grumble, shoving my hands in the suit pockets. 'He goes to the dorms a lot.'

'I don't live in the dorms, silly,' she sighs and gives me her trademark _you idiot_ look. I’m not sure why, but I like that look a lot. It’s very real and honest. 'But, thanks for trying. I appreciate it.'

I grimace. Lucy sees and shakes her head, rolling her eyes in a brief quirk. She grabs my hand again in both of hers and raises it chest height between us. Chills spike down my neck and spine at the coolness of her touch, and as she suddenly leans into me, a small sigh escapes her. I catch her in surprise for an unexpected hug.

'Don't ever wear a tux again,' she whispers in my ear. 'For what it’s worth, you look better without it. You don’t have to put in all this extra effort to be likeable.' She pulls back and beams so dazzlingly, my own flames would be ashamed of their glow. 'And next time, how about we just go to the park.'

I blink, 'There's a next time?'

Lucy raises both her eyebrows, 'What do you think?'

So I do; I think. Did I enjoy tonight? Honestly, not really. Would I enjoy going to the park with Lucy, out of the stupid dressy suit and stupid date pretenses, just actually being myself with her and ignoring all of Happy’s stupid rules? Mulling it over, her smile and playful cheek hand me the obvious answer.

'I think I'd like that.'

'Great,' Lucy bounces up on her tippy toes and her lips, warm and lightly painted with ChapStick, brush against my cheek. She had kissed me. 'I'll see you at the guild tomorrow.'

She's gone before I know it, and I am left standing alone outside her apartment. I touch my face, fingertips lingering over the featherweight pressure she’d left behind. I long to touch it, but out of fear of the tender feeling vanishing, I don’t, so I drop my hand.

The lights flicker on in a room upstairs and pour out of the open window. Lucy's silhouette is cast through the curtain as she changes for bed, smooth and stark.

She likes me the way I am, without the fancy ties and restaurant dates. She wants to spend time with me properly. There's no need to change anything I do, or how I behave. So in that case-

Tearing the buttons of the suit apart and discarding the jacket, I start to easily scale the side of the building. My own trademark look - a devilish grin that have caused many hands to nervously jump to wallets and scurry away - creeps it's way back on my face.

No way in hell am I going home to my house tonight.

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy the fluff, because everything else I write is angst. I have a problem.


End file.
